PLC Path
Ladder logic from zero — timers, counters, faults — across 9 learning dialects.
PLC certificate
Start the PLC Path →Browser-based · PLC, HMI & robot programming · Free tier
Pass your first PLC program in 2 minutes. Build a portfolio for your next interview.
12 core lessons in 9 dialects, 140 source-catalogued practice records, and 27 free-tier scenarios after signup. Try one guided program without an account. No install, no card.
$0 forever free·Pro $29/mo·7-day money-back
Join 6500+ learners practicing PLC programming
No install. Works in any browser. · From the team at plcprogramming.io
0source-catalogued records
0core lessons
0PLC dialects
0free-tier scenarios
0interview tracks
Zeroinstall required
68-second product tour
See the real simulator before you sign up.
Watch actual browser footage of PLC logic, live machines, guided learning, 3D automation, robot programming, wiring, and HMI practice. No concept mockups.
Try the simulator freeNo install. No credit card. Start with a real program.
Inside Pro
See the tools before you upgrade.
Real screens. 20 working engineering surfaces from ladder and 3D cells to HMI, robotics and connected commissioning.
Real product screens · no mock-ups
Tour the complete simulator suite before you subscribe.
Jump to
Scan-cycle highlightWatch your code execute,
Watch your code execute,
rung by rung.
The PLC simulator steps through your ladder program in real time. Every contact, coil, and timer lights up exactly when it activates — so you can see the scan cycle in action, not just read about it.
- ✓Slow-mode: step through one rung at a time
- ✓Live-mode: watch the full scan cycle at speed
- ✓Instant visual feedback on logic errors
Ladder Logic — Scan Step 2 / 3Running
[Start_PB(NO)]
(Motor_Run)
[Motor_Run(NO)]
(Run_Lamp)
[Stop_PB(NC)]
(Motor_Run)
Scan time: 4.2 ms · Watchdog: 500 ms
VAR
START AT %I0.0 : BOOL;
STOP AT %I0.1 : BOOL;
MOTOR AT %Q0.0 : BOOL;
END_VAR
| START OR MOTOR AND /STOP | := MOTOR ;Vendor-neutral foundationTest-backed example
9 learning dialectsOne control idea.
One control idea.
Nine runnable formats.
Compare the same validated motor seal-in program across IEC 61131-3, Allen-Bradley, Siemens SCL, Mitsubishi, Omron, KEYENCE KV, Schneider Unity, Delta, Instruction List. The syntax changes; the control logic stays familiar.
- ✓108 guided dialect lessons
- ✓6 free lessons in every track
- ✓Educational syntax subsets—not vendor firmware emulation
12-lesson curriculumFrom button-to-light
From button-to-light
to traffic controller.
A structured path from absolute beginner to job-ready PLC programmer. Each lesson is paired with a live simulator exercise — you write real code against a real machine model.
Lesson 1
PLC Fundamentals
free
Lesson 2
Ladder Logic Basics
free
Lesson 3
Timers & Counters
free
Lesson 4
Seal-in Rungs
free
Lesson 5
Latching & Unlocking
basic
Lesson 6
Sensor Inputs
basic
Lesson 7
Motor Control Circuits
basic
Lesson 8
Sequencers
basic
Lesson 9
Analog I/O Basics
basic
Lesson 10
PID Control
basic
Lesson 11
Fault Finding
basic
Lesson 12
Structured Text
basic
Fault diagnosisDebug faults the way
Debug faults the way
the job demands.
A random wiring fault is injected into a running simulation — a swapped NO/NC contact, a broken wire, a floating input. Your job is to find it using the scan-cycle highlight, cross-reference, and the variable table.
- ✓Realistic industrial fault scenarios
- ✓Graded difficulty: intro → advanced
- ✓Score your fault-finding speed
Fault Injection — Active1 fault active
⚠ Rung 3 — unexpected output state
[Stop_PB(NC→NO?)]———(Motor_Run)
Expected: contact open when Stop_PB pressed
Actual: contact closed — motor still running
Actual: contact closed — motor still running
Fault type
Contact polarity swap
Time elapsed
02:14
Coding tutorOne concept. 9 dialects.
One concept. 9 dialects.
108 hands-on dialect lessons.
The same physical machine — a motor start/stop, a conveyor, a tank fill — taught in the syntax your actual employer uses. The supported learning set is IEC 61131-3, Allen-Bradley, Siemens SCL, Mitsubishi, Omron, KEYENCE KV, Schneider Unity, Delta, Instruction List. Vendor-style syntax teaches transferable patterns rather than full firmware emulation.
IEC 61131-3Allen-BradleySiemens SCLMitsubishiOmronKEYENCE KVSchneider UnityDeltaInstruction List
- ✓Same scenario, different syntax — builds transferable mental models
- ✓Guided briefings walk you through each dialect's quirks
- ✓Live simulator runs your code against a real machine model
Press START → light comes on — IEC 61131-3
(* Press START → light comes on *)IF Start_PB THEN Run_Lamp := TRUE;END_IF;CODESYS / genericauto-advances · click a tab to jump
Showing 3 of 9 — see all 9 dialect tracks
Wiring & fault-finding tutorWire a panel.
Wire a panel.
Find a fault.
Pass the lesson.
An interactive lab where you drag wires through a real panel layout — DIN rails, contactors, photoeyes, safety relays — and trace physical faults with a virtual multimeter. Twenty-nine wiring lessons, nineteen fault scenarios.
- ✓29 wiring lessons + 19 fault-finding scenarios
- ✓Drag wires, route circuits, get graded on every connection
- ✓5 foundation labs Free; advanced wiring and fault diagnosis are Pro
HMI builderBuild the operator screen.
Build the operator screen.
Run the real ladder behind it.
Drag pushbuttons, lamps, gauges, tank bars, sliders and trends onto a canvas, bind each widget to a tag, and run it against a live simulated PLC — real scan cycle, real interlocks. Wire up a full alarm system and stitch multi-screen, SCADA-style projects together.
- ✓Pushbuttons, lamps, gauges, level bars, sliders, selectors & live trends
- ✓A full alarm system — severity, acknowledge, shelve — plus multi-screen projects
- ✓Free to start — build to a verifiable HMI Designer certificate
Motor Control Panel — RunLive PLC
HIGHTank level above setpoint[ACK]
Robot simulatorProgram a real robot,
Program a real robot,
right in your browser.
Write real robot code — URScript, ABB RAPID, KUKA KRL, FANUC TP — and run it on a simulated arm with real kinematics and live Havok physics. Jog, set waypoints, pick and place, drive the gripper, and learn collaborative-robot safety. No install. No robot. No vendor license.
6-axis armSCARACartesian gantryDeltaCobot
- ✓5 robot types with real kinematics & physics — 4 real vendor languages
- ✓Pick-and-place, gripper I/O, waypoints, payload & protective-stop safety
- ✓Free to start jogging — Pro unlocks the full graded course & certificate
UR5e — live Babylon sceneReal kinematics
Run the actual robot scene
This is the real Babylon renderer—not a mockup or prerecorded claim.
URScript
ABB RAPID
KUKA KRL
Drag to orbit · scroll to zoom · rendered from the same robot scene as the simulator
New · 3D scenarios + 3D Sandbox
Inspect the actual component library. Then build with it.
Orbit every model in the browser: conveyors, controls, robots, process equipment, street furniture and scenario props. These are the same PBR assets used by guided 3D scenarios and the Pro 3D Sandbox.
151
reusable components
3
lazy-loadable packs
PLC
driven motion + faults
Public viewer is free. Guided 3D starts on Basic; composing and saving custom 3D scenes is Pro.
Live WebGL component viewer
151 real-time factory components
Load the interactive viewer when you are ready to orbit the models.
Loads 3D only after your click
Drag to orbit · scroll to zoom · choose any componentOpen full viewer ↗
Three guided paths
Pick a path. Earn the certificate.
Each path is concept-first, then hands-on in the browser — progress-tracked and building to a verifiable certificate you can show an employer.
HMI Path
Operator screens on a live PLC — tags, alarms, multi-screen SCADA lines.
HMI Designer certificate
Start the HMI Path →Robotics Path
Real robot code on a simulated arm — frames, moves, pick-and-place, safety.
Robot Programming certificate
Start the Robotics Path →What's inside
More than a simulator.
Four complementary product lines that take you from zero PLC knowledge to interview-ready — all in the browser.
12 core lessons
Lessons
Structured theory with embedded exercises — from scan-cycle basics to PID tuning.
- PLC Fundamentals
- Ladder Logic Basics
- Timers and Counters
140 source-catalogued records
Scenarios
Write real ladder logic against physics-driven machines. Automated test cases grade your solution.
- Traffic Light
- Motor Start/Stop
- Bottling Line
12 quizzes
Quizzes
Timed multiple-choice sets that test concepts before and after you work through scenarios.
- PLC Fundamentals Quiz
- Timers and Counters Quiz
- PLC Safety Concepts Quiz
6 tracks
Interview Prep
Full mock interviews with Q&A rounds and live scenarios. Pass to earn a downloadable certificate.
- Junior PLC Engineer Interview
- Maintenance Technician Interview
- Controls Engineer Interview
See the actual product
Watch a real PLC program run in the browser.
This is recorded from the working simulator—not a conceptual mockup. See the editor, live I/O and industrial scenario respond together before you create an account.
What the footage proves
Program the real simulator
Write ladder or structured text, run the scan, toggle live I/O and see the machine state respond.
Learn inside industrial scenarios
Practice motors, tanks, conveyors, alarms and interlocks instead of watching a decorative animation.
Get a guided next step
Use checks, explanations and structured learning paths to move from a first rung to job-relevant control work.
No install. No card. Start with a working circuit.
Why this simulator
Built for how people actually learn PLC programming.
Desktop PLC tools punish beginners with install friction, licensing, and one-vendor lock-in. We strip all of that out so you can focus on the logic.
Browser-based, zero install
A full PLC programming simulator that runs in any modern browser. No Windows-only install, no vendor runtime, no license keys. Write and test ladder logic from a Chromebook, a Mac, or a rusty lab PC and get identical behaviour.
PLC programming simulator →Multi-dialect by design
One ladder logic source compiles against IEC 61131-3, Allen-Bradley (RSLogix-style), Siemens (TIA Portal-style), and Delta dialects. Practice the syntax your employer or certification body actually uses without juggling three separate tools.
Ladder logic simulator →Real machine scenarios
Forty physics-backed scenarios across motor control, water & HVAC, packaging, material handling, safety, process, and food & beverage. Each runs a real scan cycle, drives an animated scene, and grades your program against scripted test cases.
Learn PLC programming →How it works
Four steps from code to machine.
You write the logic. We handle the compiler, the scan loop, the physics, and the test report.
1
1XIC START_PB
2OTE RUN_BIT
3XIC RUN_BIT
Write ladder logic
Use the in-browser editor. IEC 61131-3 Structured Text today; Allen-Bradley, Siemens, and Delta dialects also supported.
2
Press Run
Your program compiles and starts driving the simulated I/O. Test cases track objectives and catch violations automatically.
3
Watch the machine react
A Phaser-rendered scene animates in real time — lamps, motors, photo-eyes, valves, limit switches respond to your logic.
4
✓Motor runs
✓E-stop trips
✓Level alarm fires
Read the test report
Automated test cases mark each objective pass or fail. A score card tells you exactly where your logic fell short.
Multi-dialect
One idea, four dialects.
The same motor seal-in rung, expressed in each syntax your employer might use. Switch dialects without rewiring your mental model.
motor-seal-in — IEC 61131-3
| START_PB OR RUN_BIT | AND NOT STOP_PB | := RUN_BIT ;
| RUN_BIT | := MOTOR_CONTACTOR ;Auto-advances every 3 seconds · click any dialect to jump directly
See all 9 dialects → full comparisonScenario catalog
140 source-catalogued practice records.
Practice graded PLC programs with briefings, automated tests and physics-driven machines. Start with 27 free-tier scenarios, then progress through guided industrial projects.
Browse the scenario catalog →This week’s featured challenge
Beginner 07 — Latched Start/Stop (SET/RESET)
No completions yet — be the first!
How we compare
Not just another video course.
Video courses explain concepts. Vendor software locks you to one platform. We let you practice on real machines in your browser, across every major dialect.
| Feature | PLC Simulator | Video courses(typical) | Vendor software(RSLogix / TIA Portal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Browser-based | Yes | Yes | No |
| Multi-dialect | Yes | Limited | Limited |
| Real machine scenarios | Yes | Video only | No |
| Interview prep + certificates | Yes | No | No |
| Solution walk-throughs | Yes | No | No |
| PLC handbook PDF | Yes | No | No |
| No install needed | Yes | Yes | No |
| Source-catalogued practice records | 140 | Varies | Bring your own |
| Starting paid price | $12/mo | Varies | Varies by vendor |
Comparison represents typical tools in each category. Features vary; check individual vendors.
Pricing
Free to try. Pay once a year for full access.
A hands-on PLC practice library, interview portfolio, and reference handbook — for less than one hour of a controls engineer’s rate.
Free
$0
forever free
Sample the simulator — no card needed.
- 27 free practice scenarios, including 10 guided beginner PLC labs
- 24 free learning modules + Curriculum 101 lessons 1–6
- 54 free dialect lessons across 9 PLC dialects
- Starter wiring, fault-finding and Sensor School practice
- Public industrial labs + 1 saved project
Basic
$99/yror $12/month
Save 31% annually
Serious learners and students.
- Everything in Free
- All 60 Free and Basic practice scenarios
- Guided 3D pick-and-place scenario
- Full 12-lesson core curriculum + 10 Free/Basic quizzes
- Choose one additional vendor dialect
- Interactive Sensor School module
- Industrial Component School reference previews
- Unlimited sandbox sessions + 1 save slot
- Progress tracking + dashboard cards
- 10 industrial-lab projects + 250 visible attempts
Most popular
Pro
$249/yror $29/month
Save 28% annually
Working engineers and job candidates.
- 108 guided syntax lessons across all 9 PLC dialects
- Interactive Component School cutaways, operating labs and fault practice
- All 140 published scenarios, including premium faults and sector capstones
- Guided Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced learning paths with an optional scenario tutor
- 3D Sandbox — build, animate and save custom PLC-driven factory scenes
- AI Rung Assistant — debug ladders in plain English
- Fault-injection scenarios — diagnose like a real tech
- Portfolio PDF export + LinkedIn shareable certificates
- All 6 interview tracks + Rockwell CCST cert prep included
- Solution walk-throughs with expert commentary
- Advanced industrial labs, 100 project slots, full history, sharing, forking and embeds
Training a class or team? Create a team free — bulk Pro at $199/seat/year.
See full pricing →Questions
Frequently asked.
No. Everything runs in your browser — the editor, compiler, scan loop, and the animated machine. You just need a modern Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge.
Ready to start?
Create a free account for 27 free-tier scenarios, or run one guided PLC program now without signing up. No credit card.
Used by learners and engineers worldwide. No install, no vendor lock-in.